American Fire Sprinkler Association
9696 Skillman, #300 Dallas, Texas 75243
Ph: (214) 349-5965 Fax: (214) 343-8898
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TECHNICAL UPDATE
NOVEMBER 29, 2006
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Documentation was provided on a pump that will be used as part of a
temporary water supply. The pump was not listed, but it was under a
500 gpm rated capacity. The municipal water supply is not readily
available and will be provided in the future with no date specified.
A pond is being designed that will have a primary function of
supporting the water storage requirements for fire suppression. A
fire pump will be required to support the fire sprinkler system for a
50,000 sq. ft. athletic complex. The engineer recommended a
submersible pump in the pond as the most appropriate and cost-
effective option for the temporary fix. You asked the following
question,
"IS A NON-LISTED FIRE PUMP ACCEPTABLE FOR THIS APPLICATION?"
We have reviewed the 2003 edition of NFPA 20 as the applicable
standard. Our informal interpretation is that other types of pumps
can be used, but still have to be listed by a testing laboratory and
meet the applicable requirements of NFPA 20.
a
NFPA 20 indicates in section 5.7.1 "fire pumps shall be dedicated to
and listed for fire protection service." The annex material does not
preclude the use of pumps in public and private water supplies that
provide water for domestic, process, and fire protection purposes.
However, this application is a pump strictly dedicated as a water
supply to a sprinkler system and shall be listed. Referring back to
section 5.1.2 states, "other than those specified in this standard
and having difference design features shall be permitted to be
installed where such pumps are listed by a testing laboratory." The
NFPA 20 standard currently recognizes horizontal and vertical split
case, in-line, and vertical shaft type pumps. The intent of this
section is that other types of pumps can be used such as
"submersible," but still must be listed by a testing laboratory to
show that it will provide the flows necessary for the application.
The limitation on the 500 gpm capacity covers a safety factor for
pumps not addressed by NFPA 20 by only permitting these pumps on
small systems. It is not the intent of this section that when a
demand is below 500 gpm, an off the shelf non-UL Listed pump can be
used, placed in a pond, and not follow any other NFPA 20
requirements. This application still has to meet wet pit, trash rack,
leaf screen, and strainer requirements. Additional requirements
including the piping arrangements, underground piping, aboveground
pipe and fittings, power supplies, controllers, protection from
freezing, and testing requirements have to be addressed. The
documentation does not specify how the pond will be replenished to
maintain the water level. In closing, other types of pumps can be
used such as submersible types provided the pump is listed and the
installation conforms to all applicable NFPA 20 requirements.
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Technical Update is prepared by the Technical Services Dept. of the
AFSA: Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services Roland
Huggins, a PE registered in fire protection engineering; Phill Brown,
a NICET IV certified automatic sprinkler technician and NFPA
Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) and Tom Wellen, a degreed
fire protection engineering technologist. This is provided with the
understanding that the AFSA assumes no liability for this opinion or
actions taken on it and they are not to be considered the official
position of the NFPA or its technical committees.
Copyright (c) 2006, American Fire Sprinkler Association. All Rights
Reserved
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